(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ceramic member having a plurality of fine throughholes.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Members having fine throughholes, used in products such as encoders, high-precision fine electric field shutters, ion current-controlling heads, scales and the like have heretofore been made of metals, synthetic resins, etc. for their excellent processability.
In the above products, members having fine throughholes are used to detect the position of the object to be treated or to record by or without passing, through the fine throughholes, a gas, a liquid, fine particles, a light or the like.
In recent years, higher density, higher precision and higher reliability have come to be required for these members having throughholes.
The above requirements, however, are not satisfied with the conventional materials, i.e. metals, synthetic resins, etc. Therefore, development of a member made of a new material has been expected.